TAKE ON THE WORLD >> BLOG

A Colorful Thanks

Posted On: Mar 17, 2014

Today is definitely a day to have fun! Combining the Irish festival of revelry, Saint Patrick's Day, with the Indian festival of color, Holi, on the same day is epic. So, I thought this would be a great day to show gratitude for those who enabled this project to blossom and thrive so far.

To start with, thanks to all the talented filmmakers who shot taxi videos in different parts…
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Film Festival Wrap up

Posted On: Mar 11, 2014

In September 2013 this project reached a milestone. We successfully completed a film festival comprised of taxi videos from all around the globe. Submissions came in from Cairo (Egypt), Kabul (Afghanistan), Tehran (Iran) and Pune and Mumbai (India). Our partners STEP Trust arranged screenings in Kashmir, New Delhi, Chandigarh and Manipur starting on 21st September 2013 in Pulwama, Kashmir and ending on October 2nd 2013 in Churachandpur, Manipur. The…
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Taxi Takes Film Festival in India

Posted On: Oct 29, 2013

The 2013 Jashn- e- Aman Festival began in Kashmir, India on September 21st the International day of Peace. I flew out from New Delhi that morning and reached Srinagar airport where I met Dhruv Sangari and his three member band. The band would be serenading all of us at the opening night that evening. I got to know the band well over a lunch which featured some of the…
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Fundraiser in Bozeman

Posted On: Aug 21, 2013

This September I am excited to announce the first film festival based on this project. The Taxi Takes on the World @ Celebrtaion of Peace (Jashn-e-Aman) Film Festival will be held in 4 states in India, from September 21st - October 2nd, 2013. The film festival is part of a larger event that is organized by the Non Profit STEP - Standing Together to Enable Peace Trust, based in…
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Taxis in Quito

Posted On: Apr 16, 2013

by Rick Segreda.

My first reaction to Vandana's proposal, via email, about an alliance between documentary filmmakers and cab drivers was befuddlement -- wha...taxis? journalists? But the more I studied it, the more intriguing it became. As it is, I am a bilingual, bi-national (Ecuadorian, American) journalist based out of Quito, and depend on taxis a lot, especially in the last year when, due to a case of tendinitis…
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Status of women in India

Posted On: Feb 26, 2013

This matter, this story, this recent rape has created great unrest in India. And rightly so. Protests, candle light rallies can be seen sprouting throughout India. And the masses are ablaze, angered and active. And I am perplexed. Because to be honest, Indian women, especially in New Delhi have been eve teased, groped and raped for awhile now. It's in the papers often and everyday harrasment on the streets…
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Making music inside a Bucharest taxi

Posted On: Feb 26, 2013

I came across a video online with two people making music inside a taxi. A guy with a guitar, a girl with a sweet voice out on the streets of Bucharest, singing inside a taxi. A friend with a camera and a taxi driver with no hand but a big heart. I had to know more about them. Here's my…
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The Taxi Takes on Kashmir

Posted On: Feb 26, 2013

After weeks of preparation for Jashn E Aman (Celebration of Peace) 2012 I got excited about welcoming 25 students from Delhi and 25 students from Kashmir to the 4 day residential camp in Srinagar, Kashmir. Determined to ‘Find Common Ground’, the theme for this year’s annual Peace festival, the team arrived in awe…
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